Joe has a remarkable depth of knowledge of the downtown retail leasing market--of the physical real estate, the players, recent transactions and market expectations. This is invaluable in filling space and in negotiating terms. Joe is also a very careful listener. He takes the time to understand the parties' needs and is alert to opportunities that meet those needs. He is not just thinking one transaction at a time, but about building long-term relationships with clients. Joe is trusted and trustworthy--especially important in a small town like Boston, where sharp business practices get around quickly. He never gets in the way of the transaction by over-negotiating or putting his own interests ahead of his client's.

Joe's combination of deep market knowledge, long-term focus and fair dealing makes him invaluable. I look forward to working with him for many years to come.

Matthew J. Kiefer, Director
Goulston & Storrs

Values and changes in real estate have long been a barometer of our overall economic health. Whether you are a landlord 'or tenant, buyer or seller, there is no substitute for accurate information provided in a timely manner, consistently and reliably.

Joe has worked diligently and continuously in our profession for nearly 30 years. He understands the role of both people and process and substantiates his actions and opinions with solid experience and data. Along the way, he has made and maintained countless friendships to complement his long list of satisfied clients.

Michael Schaffer, Principal
Schaffer & Associates L.LP

I am a real estate owner and manager of twenty-five years, in the Boston area with a portfolio of apartments and commercial space. I am in the marketplace every day seeking bids and advice for my real estate company.

I have known Joe Levanto of CRE Brokerage for four years in which time he has worked on retail lease up and lease renewal at 1 State St, Boston, Mass, introducing many quality tenants to the property. In this process, Joe is prompt to follow up phone calls and emails in the rare event he does not answer a call.

Joe and I recently completed an arbitration hearing on a lease renewal in which he acted as expert witness. I am very satisfied with his performance under the pressure of cross-examination and with his research and defense of his fair market value estimate required for the hearing. Joe also rendered valuable guidance to me in navigating the lease language to secure the arbitration hearing.

CRE Brokerage is the recognized leader in representing downtown, Washington St and Back Bay retail space in Boston. I understand he represents several big Boston Landlords. Joe is relaxed, collegial, personable and obliging and a pleasure to work with.

I recommend Joe Levanto to any landlord in need of informed opinion and collaborative process. Joe is truly passionate about his work and engaged in discovering solutions.

John Geraghty
Geraghty Associates, Inc.

Congratulations on founding CRE Brokerage and establishing your new office at 60 State Street!

We at A.W. Perry will miss your presence here in our offices. As I look back, I have known you since you came into the Boston commercial real estate market in the 1980's, but I most appreciate the 14 years that you were here at 20 Winthrop Square. Over that time, we established a very cooperative relationship and did a number of deals together, which included not only leasing transactions on retail space, but also the purchase and sale of downtown buildings. With the way that you continue to attend to us, I expect we will do many more.

I have great respect for your capabilities and the highly ethical manner in which you conduct your business. Your knowledge of the Boston market, on both the supply and demand sides, is a great asset. When we have given you a listing, you have pursued prospects aggressively, and when a deal is on the table, you work diligently to bring it to completion in a way that sets a positive tone as we begin our relationship with a new tenant.

On behalf of all of my colleagues at A.W. Perry, I wish you success in your new venture. We look forward to continuing to work together.

John H. Spurr, Jr.
President

I highly recommend CRE Brokerage. I have worked with Joe Levanto for over a decade. Joe has been invaluable to my businesses by finding and securing space in a number of different retail and office transactions for a number of different companies. At times our needs have been somewhat unique and certainly difficult. The three key reasons why I think so much of Joe are:

Joe is well known and respected by owners, managers, brokers, and all people who know him
If you are a blue-chip tenant willing to pay market rates for available commodity-type space then you don' t necessarily need Joe. In my case, I was looking for options that were a reach and landlords needed to be sold on why we were a good use for their space. Joe's reputation opens doors; landlords listen to him and respect his opinion.

Deep marketplace knowledge
Joe is so well networked and trusted that he has information that many other brokers just don't have. Joe essentially created space options that were not even listed. If you would like to test Joe's knowledge, you can walk through Boston with Joe and point at any building and he will be able to recite the history of the building in terms of ownership and tenants. Of even greater value, as Joe is privy to current trends/developments, he can tell you about the expected future of t hat building or location.

Service commitment far exceeding my highest expectations
The amount of work and commitment Joe provide s is truly staggering. Even when it would be accept able to cut corners, Joe doesn't. My latest transaction had major challenges. Joe was a true partner and was involved every step of the way ensuring that we got the absolute best result. Joe went way above and beyond what would be expected of a broker, gelling deeply involved in all kinds of ancillary challenges like signage design/approval, legal and operational mailers.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to hear more about my experiences with CRE Brokerage. I can be reached at 617-250-1002 or mconnors@psgstaffing.com

Michael Connors
CFO, Professional Staffing Group

Since 1994, CRE Brokerage has worked with integrity, intelligence and care with Midwood Investment & Development to lease and assemble our property in Downtown Crossing. Possessing a comprehensive knowledge of the Boston retail market, CRE's advice and judgment have been invaluable in making investment and leasing decisions over the years. The ability to rely on and trust the market information CRE has provided has been both essential and rewarding.

I cannot think of a nicer or more honest person than Joe. I look forward to continuing our relationship in the years to come and wish CRE Brokerage every success.